How to say "captive" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 虜とりこnounThe broad word for a captive or prisoner, not tied to any one setting; it also has a figurative use, describing someone captivated by or enslaved to a person, feeling, or thing.
- 捕虜ほりょnounSpecifically a prisoner of war: a captive taken and held by an enemy in wartime. For the POW sense of 'captive' this is the word you want, as in war history or news reports.
Use 捕虜 for the prisoner-of-war sense of 'captive', someone captured and held in wartime; use 虜 for a captive or prisoner more generally, including the figurative sense of being captivated by a person or thing.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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